BIORAT A NATURAL BIOLOGICAL RODENTICIDE
AGAINST RATS AND MICE
IDEASS
CUBA
Innovation for Development and South-South Cooperation
www.ideassonline.org
Introduction
By Daniel Morhaim and Reinaldo Espino Llerena
BIORAT is a natural rodenticide which is highly effective against rats and mice. Since the earliest times, the
development of human settlements has been accompanied by plagues of rats. These animals are detrimental
both to human health and economic occupation, and, at times, have led to unsustainable situations for human
habitation and activity.
It is a pest that has skilfully adapted to very different living conditions and has spread indiscriminately to all
latitudes. The problem has been aggravated by the action of humans, who, in building settlements and setting
up economic activities have constantly provoked ecological unbalance. This, in turn, has led to the uncontrolled
growth of rodent populations all over the world.
Traditional ways of combating these pests have proved ineffectual. These have included a great variety of
methods, ranging from physical persecution, to mechanical and electrical traps, to toxic chemical substances,
which came into use primarily during the 20th century as an alternative means of control. These chemical
substances have been indiscriminately and intensively applied for decades, causing an increasingly
contaminated environment and provoking serious harm to other animal species, including humans.
In response to this problem, LABIOFAM
(Biological Pharmaceutical Laboratories of CUBA)
developed a biological rodenticide that makes use
of a rat specific pathogen isolated at the end of
the 19th century. This led to the production of
BIORAT, the only product presently on the market
that can guarantee:
• Highly effective and demonstrable control of
rats and mice in urban, industrial and rural
areas, applicable in the most varied climates
and conditions
• Total harmlessness towards other animal species
• Environmental friendliness and high
biodegradability
• Long time spans between repeat applications
because of its multiplier effect
• Broad spectrum of action since effects are
transmitted through infection.
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The creators of BIORAT are doctors Reynaldo
Espino Llerena, José A. Fraga Castro and Juan G.
Bornote Romero.
This product has been successfully implemented
in 22 different countries in Latin America, Africa,
Asia and Europe. It has been successfully used in
combating the pest as part of preventative health
campaigns, during epidemics caused by Bubonic
Plague, Leptospirosis, Hemorrhagic
Fever, Murine Typhus and Hantavirus, and
controlling rat infestations in various crops,
storehouses and industrial plants.
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Ever since it was first used in Cuba in 1985,
BIORAT has achieved numerous recognitions by
national and international bodies. In Cuba,
BIORAT is recognised by the Cuban Industrial
Property Office and various national ministries.
Abroad, BIORAT is recognised by public health and
agricultural institutions, private companies and
specialised agencies belonging to the United
Nations, such as PAHO/WHO, FAO and UNDP.
From the point of view of industrial property,
BIORAT is registered in 21 countries and the
technological process is patented internationally.
It has been validated by the "Pedro Kourí" Institute
of Tropical Medicine, which works closely with the
World Health Organisation.
What problem does it solve?
Towards the end of the 19th century, during studies on epidemics affecting rat populations, a bacterium
was isolated in Europe. This was identified as causing a lethal illness in rodents, producing a case history of
abdominal typhus. Over the years, efforts were made to develop an industrial product which could exploit the
effects of this micro-organism in the fight against rats and mice, but without success. At the same time, other
products were developed with bacteria of the same family as the one that had been isolated, but due to the
embryonic scientific knowledge of those times, the ones chosen were not specific to rats and mice, and
provoked, at that time, harm and infection to other animal species.
From 1967 to 1985 studies were carried out on
this agent, at first by the 'Academia de Ciencias de
Cuba' and later by the 'Empresa de Laboratorios
Biológico Farmacéuticos LABIOFAM', which came
to a successful conclusion in 1985 with the
development of Biorat. The same year, industrial
production began and it was used in health
campaigns conducted in Cuba.
BIORAT is a combination of three components:
• The bait is a particularly enticing mixture that
induces rats and mice to consume the product.
Trials were conducted on various types of grain,
and it was decided to use whole rice, because it
is highly palatable to these animals and can be
easily obtained all over the world.
• The micro-organism in question is a specific
pathogen with the following characteristics:
Strain: Salmonella enteritidis; Plasmid: 59, 4, 3
MDa; Phago-type: VI; Differential biochemical
characteristics: Lysine-negative. Its most
distinctive characteristic is that it only affects
rodents through the plasmid 59 MDa, which
carries the virulence (spv) genes which are
specific to rodent species. It should be pointed
out that bacteria from this family causing illness
in human beings and other animal species
possess plasmids 30, 36 and 38, and phagotypes 4, 8, 13 and 13a, none of which are
present in the strain utilized in BIORAT.
• The immunosuppressive used is a substance
based on cumarin, which, if used in low
concentrations, weakens the pest's immune
defences against attack from the bacteria
contained in the product.
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From the point of view of industrial property, BIORAT is registered in 21 countries and the technological
process is patented internationally. It has been endorsed by the "Pedro Kourí" Institute of Tropical Medicine,
which works closely with the World Health Organisation. A complete record of the clinical, laboratory and field
tests conducted on this product is available.
Biological control of rat and mice colonies through Biorat has the following advantages:
• Rats and mice die after only one application.
• It is effective in all cases, including ones where
colonies are resistant to anticoagulants
• Rats do not hesitate to take the bait
• It does not affect man or domestic animals, and
no antidote is necessary if ingested accidentally
• It is more than palatable to rats and mice,
which do not need to go in search of water since
the BIORAT bait provides it for them
• It produces a deadly epizootic among rodents,
affecting those that have not consumed it
• It is biodegradable, and does not contaminate
the environment
• It does not create resistance nor rejection
among rat and mice populations
• Rats and mice prefer it to other foods where
alternatives are available
• Two applications a year are enough to keep the
pests under control
At present, plagues of rats produce serious
harm to both health and the economy all over
the world. From the health point of view, rats are
linked to the propagation of more than 60
different illnesses. In material terms, they
account for losses amounting to more than 2,000
million US dollars, or the equivalent of about 4%
of world production.
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Biorat in practice
In practical terms, the Biorat pest control method is used in anti-rat campaigns. The aim of the campaigns
is to reduce rat and mice populations to levels that do not represent a risk for health and the economy.
Generally speaking, control involves two main types of objectives:
• Agricultural objectives, involving the protection of crops
• Urban objectives, involving residential buildings, industrial plants, warehouses, tourist facilities and other
areas that can be found within the perimeter of urban areas.
INFESTATION INDEX AND CONTROL
REQUIREMENTS
• Urban areas: when index is over 10%
• Agricultural areas: when index is over 10% or
damage represents more than 3% of crop value
At present in Cuba, the greatest economical
damage is caused in grain, coconut, sugar cane
and coffee plantations.
STAGES IN AN ANTI-RAT CAMPAIGN
• Recognition. Technical team members conduct site visits and make sketches of the targeted area
specifying, in urban areas: number of houses, warehouses, industrial plants, open areas, paths and access
routes to communities, boundaries, number of inhabitants; in rural areas: crop type and area, number of
houses, warehouses, industrial plants, open areas, paths and access routes, and boundaries.
• Pest type. The types of rats and mice in the area to be disinfested are determined.
• Requirements. Product reqirements are calculated on the basis of the number of houses and/or facilities,
the area of each locality, or crop type and area.
• Logistics. The necessary quantities of the product are purchased and distributed; equipment and other
materials are put into place; trained personnel take part in campaigns.
• Application. BIORAT is applied according to a previously drawn up action plan.
• Evaluation. Finally, the results of the campaign are assessed and follow up phases are prepared as part
of a permanent and sustainable disinfestation activity.
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STAGES IN PROGRAMMED ACTIVITIES
ACTIVITIES
JAVET
Urban areas
• Coordination with regional, national and local authorities
• Work meetings conducted with executive offices of areas concerned
• Training of local authorities and community leaders
• Damage assessment and infestation index
• Application of rodenticide
• Assessment and reports of results
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Rural areas
• Coordination with farmers’ organisations
• Work meetings conducted with executive offices of areas concerned
• Training of selected personnel
• Assessment of damage and infestation index
• Application of rodenticide
• Assessment and reports of results
The practical results that have been achieved in
18 years of experience in the utilisation of BIORAT
are directly related to the specific location in which
it has been applied, since this has a decisive effect
on the final effectiveness of the application.
The mean average figures detailed below were
recorded in different localities, and show the great
effectiveness of the product.
APPLICATION AREA
EFFECTIVENESS (%)
Closed urban areas
Mixed urban areas
Industrial areas and warehouses
Crops
99
95
98
93
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Results
Biorat is a registered trademark and is used in
12 Central and Southern American countries, 3
African countries and 7 countries in Eurasia. Use
of this product is on the increase for the
following reasons:
• It causes no harm to other species, man, or the
environment.
•Its advanced technology means it can increase
knowledge of biological mechanisms and modes
for controlling pests both among the personnel
employed in application campaigns and the
people concerned, who can see the beneficial
effects of the method.
•It arouses interest among health authorities and
industry, because the method used sets it apart
from traditional forms of pest control, which are
harmful and have little effect.
•It is recognised by the competent authorities
because of its beneficial effects on health.
•It quickly leads to increased economic
productivity in areas where it is employed.
• It is sustainable, since it is made up of elements
that are easily obtained anywhere in the world.
Cost benefits – yearlong treatment per hectare using traditional chemical products (with poor results and
damage to the ecosystem) requires 150% and 300% more resources than are needed for the treatment of
the same area with BIORAT, which provides effective results and does not produce secondary effects.
In practical terms, the product works as follows:
Day 1
Day 4
Day 14
Day 30
Effectiveness
Repeat application
BIORAT is applied
First deaths
Last direct deaths
Deaths due to epizootic
From 93 to 99 %
From 6 months to a year
P.7
International interest
Due to the indubitable advantages that the Biorat method brings to the control of rodent plagues, different
national and international organisations have promoted the use of this rodenticide.
Within the national sphere, support has come from various health ministries in the countries where it has
been applied, at the central, provincial and local levels.
Secondly, it is backed by the agriculture ministries of the different countries where this product has been
used for the protection of crops.
Finally, innumerable entrepreneurs, industrialists and farmers have benefited from the product.
Internationally, the use of Biorat has received the backing of the Pan American Health Organization
(PAHO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the United Nations Food and Agricultural
Organisation (FAO)
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Adopting Biorat in other countries
Procedures for the utilization of BIORAT in
other countries are the same as for other biological
products.
IMPORTING BIORAT
Sequence of procedures for importing Biorat is
normally as follows.
• An accredited local organisation for the
importation and registration of this type of
product is identified and agreement is reached.
• The following documents are signed by
Labiofam S.A. and the local organisation:
Agency agreement.
Non-disclosure agreement.
Powers of attorney to represent Labiofam S.A.
before the registration authorities.
• Labiofam S.A. provides the local organisation
with the necessary documentation.
• Trademark registered and product included in
health register. Although procedures may vary
from one place to another, they generally
depend on health and agriculture ministries,
and the authorities responsible for receiving
applications, examination and approval.
• Commercialisation of the product.
There have been occasions in which, because of
urgent health requirements, the governments
concerned have given temporary authorisation for
the commercialisation of the product without
having to go through steps 3, 4 and 5.
P.9
LOCAL PRODUCTION OF BIORAT
Another option is to produce the product locally in the country concerned, for which, once the abovementioned steps have been completed, the creation of some form of economic partnership with a local
organisation is needed. The next steps are as follows:
• A market study of the area where is commercialisation is planned is carried out to define technical
requirements and the size of the production plant.
• An economic feasibility study is conducted to assess the viability of the project and the capital required
for investment.
• Parties negotiate and agree on the contributions that each is to make towards the establishment of
the partnership.
• Legal documents establishing the partnership are discussed and drawn up, as also the norms for
administration, control and management.
• Competent authorities of the countries involved approve the investment and partnership projects. This
procedure generally involves institutional organs responsible for foreign investment, science and technology,
construction, industrial property, and the central bank.
• Investment is carried out.
• New enterprise comes into operation.
From the cultural, scientific and technical point
of view, no special conditions are required for the
utilisation of the product. As a rule, LABIOFAM
includes in the package not only the product itself,
but also technical assistance to support
representatives in the registration process and for
laboratory and field demonstrations. LABIOFAM
also guarantees training of personnel in the
application of the product and on-site supervision
of application operations.
In cases where a partnership is to be set up with
the aim of producing and commercialising the
product in the applicant country, specialists and
technical experts would be required in the fields of
microbiology, biochemistry and physical analysis,
as well as laboratory chemists, mechanical and
electrical technicians and workers.
A factor to take into account in some countries is
that rats can form part of religious certain beliefs
and must be given due regard. Special treatment
is necessary in such cases, in accordance with the
customs of the area.
The Cuban organisation that is at present
responsible for the production and
commercialisation of BIORAT is the industrial
group LABIOFAM through its trading company
Labiofam S.A.
As mentioned above, LABIOFAM can provide
all the necessary technical assistance required in
the utilisation of the product, including
registration procedures, personnel training and
post sales services.
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To learn more
Over the years, abundant literature concerning
work on Biorat has been developed by LABIOFAM
S.A., consisting mainly of:
• Clinical papers regarding the innocuousness of
Biorat for both man and other animal species.
• Results of laboratory tests and fieldwork carried
out on Biorat.
• Results of Biorat application campaigns in
different countries.
• Recognition papers from various national and
international organisations.
• Scientífic reports on the product.
Contacts
If more information should be required on any of the aspects mentioned in this brochure, please contact:
Dr. José A. Fraga Castro, Presidente, Chairman of Grupo Empresarial Labiofam.
Ave. Rancho Boyeros, Km. 16, Boyeros, Ciudad de la Habana, Cuba
Tel.: (537) 263 0844; (537) 57 9217; (537) 683 2151; Fax: (537) 33 57 48
e-mail: [email protected]
Sra. Griselda Mena Sánchez, CEO of Labiofam S.A.
Calle 34 # 3407, Rpto. Kohly, Playa, Ciudad de la Habana, Cuba
Tel.: (537) 204 2581; (537) 204 2578; (537) 204 2587; Fax: (537) 204 21 81
e-mail: [email protected]
Lic. Lisabetta Martinez, Business Manager of Labiofam S.A.
Calle 34 # 3407, Rpto. Kohly, Playa, Ciudad de la Habana, Cuba
Tel.: (537) 204 2581; (537) 204 2578; (537) 204 2587; Fax: (537) 204 21 81
e-mail: [email protected]
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The IDEASS Programme – Innovation for Development and South-South Cooperation – is part of the
international cooperation Initiative ART. IDEASS grew out of the major world summits in the 1990s and the
Millennium General Assembly and it gives priority to cooperation between protagonists in the South, with the
support of the industrialised countries.
The aim of IDEASS is to strengthen the effectiveness of local development processes through the increased use
of innovations for human development. By means of south-south cooperation projects, it acts as a catalyst for the
spread of social, economic and technological innovations that favour economic and social development at the local
level. The innovations promoted may be products, technologies, or social, economic or cultural practices. For more
information about the IDEASS Programme, please consult the website: www.ideassonline.org.
IDEASS
Innovation for Development and South-South Cooperation
ART - Support for territorial and thematic networks of co-operation for
human development - is an international co-operation initiative that brings
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promotes a new type of multilateralism in which the United Nations system
works with governments to promote the active participation of local
communities and social actors from the South and the North. ART shares the
objectives of the Millennium Development Goals.
In the interested countries, ART promotes and supports national cooperation framework programmes for Governance and Local Development ART GOLD. These Programs create an organized institutional context that
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Participants include donor countries, United Nations agencies, regional
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It is in the framework of ART GOLD Programmes where IDEASS innovations
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